Iona fires coach Tobin Anderson after just two seasons - ESPN

Iona has fired coach Tobin Anderson after just two seasons, the school announced Monday.

The name expected to emerge as the front-runner to replace Anderson is New Orleans Pelicans assistant Dan Geriot, who has also worked in Cleveland as an assistant coach and as the head coach of the G League's Canton Charge.

Anderson is best known as the coach who led Fairleigh Dickinson to one of the most noted upsets in NCAA history when the No. 16-seeded Knights knocked off No. 1 Purdue in 2023. It marked just the second time in NCAA history a No. 16 had defeated a No. 1 in the first round of the men's NCAA tournament.

That victory turned Anderson into a household name and quickly earned him the head coaching job at Iona. The Gaels are coming off a 17-17 season in 2024-25, which included a spot in the MAAC league title game. He's 33-34 in two seasons at Iona.

Iona won three straight games to end the regular season and two games in the MAAC tournament, including an upset of No. 1 seed Quinnipiac. It finished fourth in league play at 12-8 this year. In 2023-24, the Gaels went 16-17 and 10-10 in league play.

Anderson is a longtime head coach, as he coached at Division II St. Thomas Aquinas from 2013-14 to 2021-22. Fairleigh Dickinson hired him after he compiled a record of 209-62 there. He also spent 12 seasons as a Division III coach at Clarkson and Hamilton.

Anderson followed Rick Pitino, who led Iona to a pair of NCAA bids in his three seasons there. He won 52 games over his final two seasons there.

Anderson agreed to a five-year deal upon his hire, which means he'll be owed a substantial amount with three seasons left on his contract.

Iona is regarded as the best job in the MAAC, as former coach Tim Cluess led the school to four